Long ago in the
days of the ancestors there lived a beautiful old woman named Running
Through Flowers.

Many seasons had
passed since Running Through Flowers had received her name from her
People.

Even as a child, when
Running Through Flowers would wander
off, the People could always find her running though the nearest flower
meadow.

Running Through
Flowers had lived a long, long time, like the
flowers of the meadow, her only care throughout her life was to help
her People and for them to be happy.

If any member of the
People ran into trouble, Running Through Flowers was always there first
ready to help.

All the People thought
Running Through Flowers was a powerful
Medicine Woman, but she was always too busy helping others or running
through flower meadows to find time to study the ways of the Medicine
Path.

Many many seasons
passed. Through all the seasons Running
Through Flowers never tired of helping her People. How lovely the
flowers of spring sang to her as she ran through the meadows.

The Chief of the
People
became concerned. He thought to himself,
"What will become of Running Through Flowers when she gets too old and
has no one to take care of her?"

Very quietly the Chief
of the People called the Medicine Woman
and the Shaman together. The three of them talked for a long time.

Each of them had many
suggestions, however, not one of them wanted to tell Running Through
Flowers what to do.

Finally the Medicine
Woman said, "Let's call the People together and let them decide."

The next day a Pow Wow
was ordered by the Chief of the People. No one was told why.

All of the People
loved Pow Wows; seeing old friends,
drumming, and dancing. All of these things made the People very
happy!

During the whole week
before the Pow Wow Running Through Flowers gathered colorful flowers to
give out to her friends.

She had spent her life
helping others and it seemed that flowers were all she had to give.

During the Pow Wow,
the Chief of the People called everyone together.

It was then that he
shared his concern with all the People.
"What will happen to Running Through Flowers when she becomes too old
to fix her own food and make her own clothes?"

Because Running
Through Flowers had never asked for anything
from her People, she was embarrassed and didn't know what to say.

Before Running Through
Flowers could say a word, ten mighty
warriors stepped forward. Each told a story about how Running Through
Flowers had helped them and how she had made them smile when they were
children.

Ten warriors said that
as long as Running Through Flowers
lived, she would never have to worry about having enough to eat. They
said, "Each one of us will take turns hunting and providing for Running
Through Flowers."

Many hours passed as
one by one the People, especially the
children, told stories about how Running Through Flowers had helped
them and made them smile. You see, the People, especially the children,
loved to tell kind stories about the People they loved.

The next day when the
stories had been told it was decided, by
all the People together, that each one of them would give Running
Through Flowers a gift of one thing that each of them owned.

Running Through
Flowers didn't know what to do. All at once
she felt the Love that her People had for her and she started to cry --
soft loving tears.

All of the People were
very very happy. All through the many
seasons of Running Through Flower's life they would have given her
anything she asked for. But Running Through Flowers had never asked for
anything.

Now the People knew
why the hief of the People had ordered the
Pow Wow. All the People thanked the Chief and the Medicine Woman
for
being so wise by giving the People a chance to show that Running
Through Flowers was "the Richest Indian of the People."

And so it was, after
so very many seasons, The Great Spirit
felt the Love that the People had for each other -- and smiled.